Trunk-strap.



Patented Feb. II-, l902.

- (N0 Mode!) UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE ORVILLE A. STONEMAN, OB NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF T MATTHEVV J. W. WHITE, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

STRAP.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 693,079, dated Eebruary 1 1, 1'902.

Application filed May 14, 1901.

T0 all w7wm 2125 mag concern:

Be it known that I, ORVILLE A. STONEMAN, a eitizen of the United States, residing at N0i-' folk, in the county 0f Norfolk and State of Virginia, ha ve invented certain neW ancl useful Improvements in Trunk-Straps; and 1 do hereby deelare the following 120 be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in tl1e art 130 which 20 it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates t0 fastening means for the ends 0f straps designed for securing t-runks, paekages, and bundles, and whieh comprise pivoted or hinged members, one of the menubers eonstitutixqg a lever to forcibly draw the ends of the straptogeth'eT, and saidstrap having adjustabl connection theiewith to aclapt its effective length 01 the part en compassing the trunk 01 package t0 the size thereof.

F01 a full description of tl1e invention and the merits thereof and also to acqnire a knowledge of the details of construotion 0f the means for effecting the result reference is t0 be had to the following deseription a'nd drawings hereto attached.

VVhile the essential and characteristie features of the invention ate necessarily SuS- ceptible 0f modification, still the preferrecl embodiment of the invention is' illustrated in the accompanying drawinfgs, in which Figure 1 i s a perspe'etive view 0f a tiunkstrap embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a eentral longitudinal secti0n of tl1e fastener,

showing the manner of attaehing the end portions of the strap thereto. Fig. 3 is a perspeetive view 01": the fastener having the members 0x parts thrown open. Fig. 4 is a view similar t0 Fig. 3 looking at the reverse side of tl1e 0 fastener.

Oorresponcling and like arts are referred to in the following deseription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the Sa n1ga reference charaeters.

The fastener is adapted for use in connec-' tion with a strap 1, 0f leather 0x textile; and comprises members 2 and 3, pivoted or counected by a hinge-joint. The member 2 is fixed and the memben 3 movable and constituting tl1e operating'or leverlement for forci- Seria1 N0. 60163. (N0 model.)

bly drawing the ends 0f the strap 1 close about the trunk, package, 0r bundle tobe seeured. The fixed member 2 consists, essentially, 0f a frarne or plate provided ab one end wi'th a loop 4 and having a shoulder 5 adjacentsaid 100p for ehe end 0f the pivoted member t0 abut against, said shoulder having an opening for the reception of the latch-bolt 7at the free end 0f the pivoted member 3 for securing the mernbers when closed and the strap tigntened about the trunk o1 package. Parallel arms 8 project from tl1e opposite end 0f the member 2, and their terminal portions are transversely pierced t0 receive the pintle rod 01- bar 9, by means of whieh tl1e two members am pivoted 0x hingedly connected. A

trans verse slot 10 i's'provided in the frame 0r 'plate naarer the pivot end thereof toafford 'clearanee for the folded end of the strap attaehed t0 the pivoted member 3 when the two members are elosed. The frame or plate is stiffened and reinforced at its longitudinal edges by flanges 11, whieh project from the rear side thereof a sbort distanee and which also serve to prote ct the edges of the folded end p01tion of the strap connected to the bar 2.

The hinged Qlpivoted rnember 3, eonstitutingthe operating or lever element, comprises spaced longitudinal bars 12 and a platze 13, the latt'er being joined at its longitudinal edg'es to the outer m top edges of the bars 12.

The bars 12 are extended beyond the innen 01 pivot end of the plate 13 and overlap the end portions 0f the arms 8 and are forrned with transversely-alining openings to reeeive the outer ends of the pintle rod or bar 9. The bars 12 am spaced apart a distance so as t0 embrace the edges of the me1nber 2 and inclose the Same. A transverse slot 1 1is formed in the plate 13 at a point between its ende 0 't0 receive the folded end portion of the strap att1ched t0 tlqe pivoted member. A crossbar16 is located opposite the slot 14 aud is supported at its ends by the bars 12 and is adapted to lie in the fold or bight of the strap 5 attaehed 130 the member 3. A lock 16 0f any pattern 0r make is applied t-o the free end 0f the pivoted member 3 and is adapted to cooperate With the outex end of the fixed manuber 2 to secure tl1e members 01 parts of the fastener when closed and the strap drawn tight around the trank, paekage, or bundle. This 10011 comprises a latch-bolt 7, which is spring-actuated and normally projeets, thereby enabling it 110 automatically loek by a snap action when clqsing the member 3 upon the mernber 2, the beveled end of the latch-bolt riding upon the shoulder 5 and entering the opening 6 when in full register therewith. This latch-bolt is key-operated and is withdrawn from engagement With the shouldered end of the member 2 by means of a snitable key 17, fitted in a keyhole 18, provided in the plate 13, which constitutes the outer wall of the case inclosing the operating parts of the lock mechanism. \Vhen the pivoted or lever member 3 is closed upon the fixed mernber 2, the end Lhereof abuts against the shoulder 5 and the outer side of the plate 13 comesflush With the outer side of the part 0f the mexnber 2 between the 100p 4 and shonlder 4. The bars 12, embraeing the edges 0f the member 2, prevent lateral displacement of the parts when subjeetecl to transverse strain 01 a lateral blow.

The fastener admits 0f end portions of the strap 1 being firmly attached thereto withont requiring the use 0f bnekles, rivets, or like securing n1eans As shown, an end portion of the strap is passed through the loop 4 of the member 2, thence around the pintle rod 01 bar 9, and beneath the said rnember, the loose end being confined between the fixed mernber and the part of the strap in the real of said member and between the 100p 4 and 1 0d 9. A tension on the strap serves to clarnp the loose end tight against the memben2, the elamping action being proportionate to the degree 0f lineal tension upon the strap. The

opposite end portion 0f the strap is passed Through the transverse slot 14 fro1n the outer side .0f the mernber 3, thence around the cross-bar 15, and back to the slot 14, the loose end portion beingclamped between the outer part 0f the strap and the member 3 and the side of the trunk, package, 01 handle, around which the strap may be drawn. Should the strap be too loose when the members are closed, the proper degree 0f tension may be maintained by throwing open the pivoted member ancl adjusting the end portionof the strap so as t0 take up the slack and se eure the requisite an1onnt 0f tension upon the strap when the members of. the fastener are closed. After the length of the strap has been acljusted to the size 0f the trunk or package the strap after being plaeedin position is drawn tight about the trnk 01 papk-- age by folding the member 3 up0n the wember 2, the pivoted member automatically locking when its end abuts against the shoulder 5 and the latch-bolt coni'es in register with the opening 6. When it is required to re- 1nove the strap, the latch-bolt is withdrawn by means 0f the key 17 in the manner well understood. The folded. end 0f the strap receiving the cross-bar 15 enters the transverse slot 10 when the xnembers are elo'sed, thereby preventing ontward pressure upon the pivoted mernber;which woulcl be the ease if said folded end were crowded between the parts of the fastenei* when closed and locked.

Hzwing thus deseribed the inwution, what is claimed as new is 1. In a trunk-strap, afastener for the ends thereof comprising a fixed member having a shoulder near its outer end and having an opening in the said shonlder, a second mexnher pivotecl to the inner end 0f the fixed member and adapted to elose against the shoulder thereof and having side portions 130 embrace the sides of the fixed member, and a lock applied to the outer end 0f the pivoted mernber and adapted t0 ahnt against the said shoulder of the fixed member and adapted t0 have its latch-bolt enter the opening thereof, substantially as Set forth.

2. A trunk-strap fastenercomprising a fixed member having a 100p at one end, spaced extensions at its opposite end and a transverse slot at a point between its ends, a pivotecl mexnber having a key-operated lock at one end, spaeed extensions at its opposite end overlapping the spaced extensions of the fixed member ancl a transverse slot between its ends to register with the transverse slot of the fixed 1nember, a rod pivotally conneeting the overlapped portions of the said. extensions and adapted to lie in the fold at one end 0f the strap, and a bar supported at its ends in portions 0f the plvoted met'nber and arranged to con1e between the transverse slots ofthe tw0 members when closed an. t0 lie in the folcl at th'e opposite end of the strap, substantially as set forth.

3. A fastener for secnring and drawing the end pottions of a trnnk-strap togetherthe same consisting of a fixed men1ber having a loop and a shoulderecl portion at one end and having a transverse slot and projecting arme at the opposite end, a pivoted member comprising longitudinal bare and a platze joined at its edges to the outer edges of the longitudinal bars and having a transverse slot intermediate of its ends, the longitudinal bars being extended beyond the inner end of the plate and overlapping the aforementloned. arms, a pintle rod or bar eonneeting the overlapping ends 0f the arn1s and longitudinal bars, a cross-bar locatecl opposite the slot in the plate of the pivoted member and adapted to come opposite the transverse slot of the fixed mernber when the members are closed,

ORVILLE A. S'lONEMAN. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

L. E. DODGE, LUTHER L. FENTRESS. 

